 |
After scoring 140 points in three straight games, Grant Hill and the Suns had a much harder time against the Celtics. (Rick scuteri/reuters) |
Celtics Notebook
Some Moore intrigue
Agent says team has made offer
PHOENIX - The Celtics are hoping to fill their need for a big man by winning the Mikki Moore sweepstakes.
Moore's agent, Mark Bartelstein, confirmed the team has offered the center a contract, and said several other teams have done the same thing, although he wouldn't divulge their names.
Moore is expected to make his decision today after clearing waivers and becoming an unrestricted free agent. "A lot of teams are very excited about him, so it's a tough decision for Mikki," said Bartelstein.
If Moore, 33, selects the Celtics, they would sign him for the rest of the season. The 7-foot, 225-pounder was waived by Sacramento Feb. 19. He averaged 3.5 points and 3 rebounds in 16.2 minutes per game in 46 games with the Kings.
Moore played in three games for the Celtics while on a 10-day contract in the 2002-03 season.
If Moore opts to go elsewhere, the Celtics would be interested in Oklahoma City center/forward Joe Smith if he is bought out of his contract. Smith is the more talented player, but there is a question whether he will be bought out or whether he even wants to be.
Celtics coach Doc Rivers said before yesterday's 128-108 win over the Suns that he prefers permanent help and would not want to expand the team's current 11-player active roster for a 10-day contract.
"The problem with bringing in another guy is he screws up practice more than he helps because he doesn't know the plays," Rivers said. "So you spend 20 minutes teaching him the plays. And after 10 days he's gone, so I'd rather keep it where we're at. Obviously, there's some pretty good guys who may come up, who we'll take, but other than that we're good."
Brian Scalabrine scored 14 points as a starter in place of the injured Kevin Garnett, and Glen Davis (4 for 4) and Leon Powe (2 for 2) were perfect from the field. Gabe Pruitt and Bill Walker are candidates to fill in for Tony Allen (thumb surgery), providing relief for Ray Allen (40 minutes yesterday) and Paul Pierce (44).
"With Tony and Kevin out and Scal playing the '4,' that really puts us in a bind," Rivers said. "Even if I play Billy and Gabe, the bottom line is one of them has to play a major role. And, even if we're struggling with them in, I have to take it because I can't burn Paul and Ray Allen.
"They're so smart, they know when they have rest coming up. The other night in Utah [a 90-85 loss], I wanted to take Paul out and he said, 'We're not going to practice tomorrow, I can stay.' But I don't look at it for that game - I look at it for playoffs and legs."
Rest does him good
Some expected guard Rajon Rondo to join Ray Allen, Garnett, and Pierce in the All-Star Game here last week. But Rondo lost out in the voting, and took a break in the Cayman Islands."I spent the time swimming with dolphins and stingrays," Rondo said. "Three teammates made it, so it's not a big deal. I watched the game on TV, but where we were staying didn't have TNT, so I didn't see the other events, just who won the dunk contest and 3-point contest when they showed it on the bottom of the screen."
Rondo almost was Phoenix-bound in 2006, when he was selected by the Suns, then traded to the Celtics on draft day.
"I don't think too much about that," Rondo said.
He showed he would have fit in well with the Suns' style in scoring a career-high 32 points yesterday.
"I love the style of play," Rondo said. "The way they play it's to my advantage, to play up-tempo type point guard. But [if he remained a Sun] I probably wouldn't be doing what I'm doing now, wouldn't have a championship. I'd be playing a lot less minutes, playing behind Steve [ Nash], learning a lot. You never know - this is a great system, to my advantage, but I'm happy the team I'm with now."
Streak is over
Ray Allen had a streak of 72 made free throws snapped early in the final quarter. But Allen made the second of his two foul shots with 10:10 to play to give Boston a 100-87 lead. He is shooting .944 from the line.Fill in the blank
Of the Celtics' slow start yesterday, Allen said, "We were just kind of sluggish. Kevin is a major part of what we do, so it's important that we all pick up the slack. Glen played well, Leon, [Kendrick Perkins] played well. We have many more games to go before Kevin's back - meantime, it's going to be great experience for them." Said Scalabrine: "I'm not going to do what Kevin does, but like Ray said before the game, as a group we can all step up. This was a big win for us, with Kevin being out. It gave the starters a chance to rest at the start of the fourth quarter."Frank Dell'Apa can be reached at f_dellapa@globe.com. 
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
